Few artists have shaped the sound of modern melodic techno quite like NTO. Over the past decade, the French producer has built a distinctive musical identity rooted in emotion, cinematic storytelling, and immersive sound design.
Photo credit: NTO – Official
Since the release of his acclaimed 2021 album ‘APNEA’, collaborations with Paul Kalkbrenner, Tricky, Monolink, and Sofiane Pamart, together with performances at Tomorrowland, Printworks, Sónar, and Dour, have established him as one of the genre’s most recognizable voices.
Now entering a new creative chapter, NTO is preparing to release his third studio album, ‘NAKED’, on October 16th via All Night Long. Described as his most personal work to date, the record embraces vulnerability through organic textures, melodic electronics, and an expanded role for the human voice. Following the deeply personal ‘Fior Di Macchia’ and recent collaboration with Mont Rouge on ‘I Cared For You’, the album explores themes of memory, family, hope, and human connection.
In this conversation, NTO reflects on the emotional impact of losing his father, the story behind ‘Fior Di Macchia’, learning to trust his instincts, and why looking back has become an essential part of moving forward.
EG: Hi Anthony, welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here. How have you been, and where are you speaking to us from today?
NTO: Hi! Thanks for having me. I’m doing really well. I’m speaking to you from my studio near Marseille, in the south of France. I’ve been spending a lot of time here recently finishing the album, so it’s nice to finally start talking about it.
EG: Congrats on the announcement of your next album and on releasing the single ‘I Cared For You’. It seems to mark the beginning of a new chapter, both musically and in your live performances. What excites you most about stepping back onto the road with this material? What are some of your expectations for this tour?
NTO: Thank you! I’m really excited because these tracks have been living with me for a long time already. Some of them are two or three years old, and until now they’ve only existed between me and the studio. Playing them live is always the moment when they stop belonging only to me. I don’t really have expectations, honestly. I just hope people will connect with this new chapter the way I connected with creating it.
EG: ‘Fior Di Macchia’ feels like a particularly personal record, rooted in a discovery that carries a deep emotional weight. Can you tell us about finding your father’s sketchbook and the impact it had on you?
NTO: After my father passed away, my brother and I found lots of drawings, paintings, and song lyrics that none of us had ever seen before. Everything was signed ‘Fior Di Macchia.’ It was his artistic alter ego. It was a strange feeling… because even after losing him, I was still discovering new parts of who he was. At some point, it became obvious that this name had to become music. It felt like the most natural tribute I could make.
EG: The title itself carries a strong connection to memory, place, and family history. What did the name ‘Fior Di Macchia’ come to represent for you as the track began to take shape?
NTO: At first, it was simply my father’s signature. But while writing the track, it became something bigger. It became a symbol of transmission. The idea that even when people leave, they continue living through what they created, through the people they loved, through memories… I think that’s what this track is really about.
“I don’t really have expectations, honestly. I just hope people will connect with this new chapter the way I connected with creating it”
EG: Music often allows us to process emotions that are difficult to express through words. Did creating this piece change your relationship with those memories in any way?
NTO: Yes… I think so. Music has always been the place where I understand my emotions a little better. Making this track didn’t erase the sadness, obviously, but it transformed it into something I could share. There’s something beautiful about taking something very personal and suddenly realizing it can belong to other people too.
EG: There is something very cinematic about the composition, almost as if it unfolds like a series of images rather than a traditional dance track. When you create music, do you think visually?
NTO: Very much. Most of the time, I don’t start with a kick drum or a bassline. I start with an image, a landscape, a memory, sometimes just a feeling that I can’t really explain. Then I try to translate that into music. I’ve always loved cinema, and I think my music is probably much closer to telling stories than simply making people dance.
EG: Your career has taken you from intimate clubs to some of the world’s largest stages, including Tomorrowland, Printworks, and Sónar. Has your relationship with success changed over the years?
NTO: A lot. When you’re younger, it’s easy to think success will answer a lot of questions. With time, you realize it mostly creates new ones. Today I’m much more interested in my own evolution than in success itself. If I can make music that feels more honest than six months ago, then I feel like I’m moving in the right direction.
EG: ‘APNEA’ connected with a huge audience and became a defining chapter in your journey. Looking back now, what do you think that album taught you about yourself as an artist?
NTO: I think ‘APNEA’ taught me to trust my instincts. At the time, I wasn’t trying to follow trends. I was simply making the music I wanted to hear. The fact that it connected with so many people gave me confidence to keep following my intuition instead of chasing whatever was fashionable. I think that’s still the lesson today.
“If I can make music that feels more honest than six months ago, then I feel like I’m moving in the right direction”
EG: Electronic music often focuses on the future, on what comes next. ‘Fior Di Macchia’ feels more concerned with memory and inheritance. What do you think we gain by looking backward from time to time?
NTO: I think looking back helps us understand who we are today. Not to stay stuck in the past… but to recognize where we come from. Over the last couple of years, I’ve realized that memories aren’t something you carry behind you. They’re something you carry with you. And sometimes they become a source of strength instead of sadness.
EG: If your father were able to experience this piece today, what would you hope he would understand about what it means to you?
NTO: I’d simply hope he would understand how much I loved him. And maybe that his creativity didn’t disappear with him. It found another way to exist. I also hope he’d be proud… not only of this track, but of the person I’ve become.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Anthony. We wish you all the best with the album and everything ahead. Take care!
NTO: Thank you, it was a real pleasure. I hope people will enjoy the album as much as I enjoyed making it. See you somewhere on the road.
NTO’s ‘NAKED’ is set for release on October 16th via All Night Long. Pre-order your copy here.
NTO’s ‘I Cared For You’ is out now via All Night Long. Stream and download your copy here.
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